Got burned by that 'all-inclusive' co-living spot in Lisbon

Signed up for a 3 month stint at a place that promised coworking, cleaning, and community events. Turns out the coworking was just a table in the hallway and they charged me an extra $150 for 'utility fees' after I moved in. Anyone else run into hidden fees at these co-living setups?

4 comments

4 Comments

rowanw9117d ago

Did you check the lease for a utility fee clause before signing? I got hit with the same scam in Barcelona, always ask for a full breakdown in writing upfront.

kevin_williams17d ago

Yeah @rowanw91 hit the nail on the head, you really gotta get it in writing before you sign anything. I had a place in Lisbon where the landlord tacked on a flat "utility service fee" that was basically double what the actual bills were. Took me three months and a lawyer letter to get it sorted out, but by then I'd already paid way too much. Now I ask for the last year of actual utility bills before I agree to anything, not just a breakdown but the real numbers from the company itself. Saves you from getting stuck paying someone's electric habit.

adam41417d ago

Funny enough I used to think getting a lawyer involved was overkill for a rental contract... but stories like this and what @rowanw91 said really changed how I look at it. Now I'm way more careful about checking every little fee before I sign anything, learned that lesson the hard way too.

zaranelson17d ago

my friend signed up for one of those in mexico city and the "cleaning service" was just a vacuum cleaner left in the hallway lmao. they added a $200 "community fee" after she moved in that was nowhere in the contract.